Something is wrong with one of my chicks. :(

[bakinghomesteader]

I got it on Monday. It has really big feet and is yellow. It is not like the rest. He is having labored breathing and his belly feels like a balloon. He was fine yesterday. He doesn't have any butt crust or anything. What should I do with it?

 

[speckledhen]

Make sure it's really warm and perhaps use an eyedropper to drip water next to its beak so it will swallow. Did they come from a hatchery or an individual? Shipping can do in some chicks and some chicks are just not meant for this world, sadly.

 

[bakinghomesteader]

I bought it at the store. It came from Cackle.

 

[speckledhen]

So, it was shipped to the feedstore then. No idea what's really wrong with it, but all you can do is make sure it's eating and drinking and give supportive care. Hope it makes it!

 

[silkiechicken]

Really big yellow feet? Not like the rest? Are you sure it is not a cornish x rock meat chick?

 

[rancher hicks]

I can't say for sure but I had two chicks were breathing fast. The first with her beak open. What I did was seperated them and fed them with an eye dropper. Vanilla Yogurt, water. making sure they had water and feed if they wanted it. The one I had to coax to eat. putting it on her beak. I kept them in the dark so they would sleep and not be disturbed by the other chicks. I thought the first was a goner but she pulled through as did the other. They were two different breeds. I used paper towels and this let me know they were pooping. I also fed all my chicks Pedielyte for a couple of days.
Hope this has a happy ending.

 

[bakinghomesteader]

I think it is a cornish x. It's the only one. It was from a straight run. It poo is foamy green kinda. I switched feed yesterday from rural king brand of 20% to manna brand chick feed 18%. Is that bad to do?

 

[Pathfinders]

Switching feed abruptly isn't good to do, per se, but won't cause what you're seeing. Sounds like you have a Cornish cross chick that may have navel ill (Omphalitis.) Does his navel look infected?

 

[bakinghomesteader]

uh, where is their navel???

Sorry I'm new at this. I really did research before we bought them! Even have a nice coop ready for later. There is just so much I didn't know.

 

[EweSheep]

If I can help, I probably can tell you that it might be a Cornish cross, they dont live to be a very long time, a year at best.

Dont give up yet on getting chickens, its a start of a new world!